Auburn students and community members took action to spread awareness for bike safety and compatibility with drivers.
Auburn students grabbed their bikes and helmets and met on Samford Lawn Friday, Aug. 30, for Critical Mass.
Catherine Priester, senior in biosystems engineering, explained how the event was named.
"It's called Critical Mass because it's based on a concept that happens in other parts of the world where it's more common for people to commute by bicycle," Priester said. "So, at an intersection when there are bicyclists gathering, it takes a certain amount of bicyclists to approach this critical mass to where cars will let them pass through."
The group left from Samford Lawn and rode as a group for about five miles to Town Creek Park and back.
"Critical Mass is a group bike ride," said Alex Carter, alumnus in computer engineering. "It's to bring the community together, the bike community together, to create awareness about the number of cyclists on the road that bike to and fro, while also educating the bicyclist on proper safety, rules, regulations and laws."
Carter said the group's goal was to encourage drivers to be aware of the amount of people who bike around.
Critical Mass has taken place in many cities throughout the country, but Carter was a main contributor to Critical Mass in Auburn.
Carter said many cities don't endorse Critical Mass because they think it does the exact opposite of what it's intended to do.
Carter didn't go through any official channels to plan Critical Mass; he described it as an open forum for bicyclists.
"I have a feeling that the University isn't too happy with us," Carter said.
According to Priester, their goal is to have Critical Mass every month in Auburn.
They said they hope to spread a positive message about bicyclists.
"I feel like there's a kind of animosity toward people who bicycle in Auburn, just because people see it as something that is for fun," Priester said. "If someone is bicycling in the street, you think 'this person in inconveniencing me, why are they out here biking in the road and holding me up from getting to work?' Whereas we want to promote cooperation, sharing the road and respect, mutual respect of bicyclist to motorist and for motorist to bicyclist."
Cris Krizan, graduate student in mathematics, said he wants Auburn to be more bike aware.
"It's a pretty friendly bike city," Krizan said. "Most of the problem is drivers don't know how to drive around bikes."
Carter said he encourages people to use helmets and proper etiquette on the streets.
Priester said to start a Critical Mass, all a person has to do is tell people about it and start riding.
For more information and updates about Auburn's Critical Mass, join the "Auburn Critical Mass" group on Facebook.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
